General
Charles Q. Brown during the
Ukraine Defense Contact Group in
Ramstein Air Base,
Germany Cavo Dragone is a naval aviator and served as a helicopter pilot for nearly 7 years, before being transferred aboard frigates such as the
Orsa and flew the
UH-1 L Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, and the
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King helicopters. Cavo Dragone initially served as a helicopter pilot aboard the
Ardito during the
Lebanese Civil War as part of the Italian Forces during the
Multinational Force in Lebanon. Cavo Dragone was among the few selected pilots transitioning to flying jets, where he flew the
AV-8B Harrier II+ and garnered a total flight time of 2,500 hours. Cavo Dragone became a flight commander aboard the
Maestrale-class frigates 1986–1987, and also served as a commanding officer in various ships in the
Italian Navy. Cavo Dragone was placed in command of his first ship, the minehunter
Milazzo from 1987 to 1988, before being placed as the commander of the Operations Unit (Reparto Operazioni) of the
Italian Naval Aviation twice, from 1991 to 1993 and on 1997–1998. In January 2012, in the aftermath of the
Costa Concordia disaster, Cavo Dragone was named as head of the board of experts in advising search and rescue and recovery operations on the
Costa Concordia, and assisted the judge in the trial of the case regarding the disaster. ==Awards in military service==